Fast kindling solid fuel



United States Patent FAST KINDLING SQLID FUEL Paul R. Grimes, Philadelphia, Pa., assignor to Firetabs Fuel & Chemical Corporation, Indianapolis, Ind.

N Drawing. Application October 3, 1955 Serial No. 538,286

6 Claims. c1. 44-6) This invention relates to certain improvements in fast kindling solid fuel, and particularly to solid carbonaceous fuels such as charcoal; and the nature and objects of the invention will be readily recognized and understood from the following detailed description and explanation of certain examples of solid fuels of the invention from among various others of which the invention is capable within the broad spirit and scope thereof as defined by the claims hereto appended.

The invention is especially directed to the solution of certain problems and to the substantial elimination of certain dificulties and disadvantages encountered with solid fuels in small piece or lump forms, such for example as so-called briquets which are compressed from a solid carbonaceous fuel in powdered or finely divided form. Charcoal, one of the solid carbonaceous fuels, is Widely used in lump or briquet form as a fuel for grills, barbecues and such like cooking equipment for broiling, barbecuing and grilling. However, charcoal and other carbonaceous fuels in lump or briquet form have the serious disadvantage when used as a fuel of being extremely difiicult to initially ignite in order to obtain combustion thereof sufiicient for the fuel to burn to the desired more or less flameless bed of coals or embers required for grilling, barbecuing or broiling purposes. For example, with charcoal in lump or briquet form it is necessary to employ some form of solid kindling or liquid igniting fuel in suificient quantity to burn for the necessary time to ignite the charcoal which has been laid to the point of self-burning. With the use of kindling or starting fluids it is difficult to time the igniting of the charcoal and the combustion thereof to the point where the desired fire is established for properly and satisfactorily grilling and broiling thereover. Thus it is customarily necessary and is general practice to start the preparation of a cooking fire from charcoal considerably in advance of the time when it is desired to cook therewith, with the result that the fire reaches condition for use too soon and must be kept in that condition by adding fuel thereto. Such conditions result in the use of a great deal more fuel than would be necessary and in annoying time delays which could be avoided if it was possible to properly time the operations. The necessity for using kindling or lighting fluids to ignite the charcoal has caused an increasing use of liquid starting fuels such, for example, as so-called lighter fluids, which are dangerous when used without great care as to the quantity employed and as to the manner of igniting the fluid and of replenishing if the first burning thereof has been insufficient to ignite the charcoal.

Charcoal and similar carbonaceous fuels in lump or briquet form present a further serious disadvantage from the standpoint of the transportation, storage and distribution thereof as well as in the handing thereby of the ultimate user, due to the relatively porous and soft character of such fuels, so that fine particles of dust thereof in the form of soot are readily scuffed or rubbed off on contact. This characteristic of these solid fuels is of ice particular disadvantage in the bulk handling, transportation and distribution thereof in that dust orv soot accumulates therefrom in the containers or carriers thereof which in some instances has resulted in spontaneous combustion and ignition of the mass of fuel. This soot or dust problem has been of particular disadvantage to the retailer or seller of such fuels to the ultimate small consumer, such as the householder, for use by him in the usual small fuel capacity home grill. The retail merchant has had a reluctance even when theselump or briquet forms of charcoal have been bagged or packaged with the conventional packaging forms used for them, to sufliciently stock such packaged fuel because of the space requirements and the difliculties of stacking of placing them where they would be readily available to the customer, as well as because of the inevitable soiling or sooting of the bags or packages and immediately adjacent surfaces which seems to take place with such fuels. These disadvantages have been particularly diflicult in the selfservice types of stores where the customer waits upon himself and handles the packages or bags of the fuel, with the result that such stores have had the tendency to stock only in small quantities and primarily as a courtesy and convenience to their customers.

It is one of the primary objects of my invention to provide as a new article of commerce lumps or briquets of solid fuel, such as briquets of the carbonaceous solid fuel, charcoal, which will be fast kindling to self-combustion thereof merely by the application thereto of a flame from a match or lighter, so that a fire can be instantly started with a setting of such briquets and rela tively quickly brought to the desired condition of selfcombustion to meet the requirements for which the fire is to be used, without the use of solid kindling, volatile ignition fluids, or other forms of ignition starting materials.

It is a further object to provide such a solid fuel in the form of lumps or briquets, and particularly the solid carbonaceous fuels such as charcoal, which will not only be fast kindling, but which will be so treated as to provide a combustible sealing film or skin completely thereon to thereby substantially eliminate or materially reduce the dusting off therefrom of fine particles in the form of dust or soot occasioned by the agitation and contacts to which such fuel briquets are subjected in the handling, transportation and storage thereof; and further, which will substantially eliminate or reduce to a negligible degree the soiling of the hands or clothing of the ultimate user of such briquets in the handling thereof to lay or set up such briquets for the purpose of building a fire therefrom. i

A further object is to provide a quick igniting combustible composition in viscous or so-called jellied form' having a relatively low flash point with a relatively high boiling point, for application to and coating of a briquet of relatively porous solid fuel, such as charcoal, which will when applied to a briquet shrink thereon and penetrate a distance thereinto to form a quick igniting sealing and protecting coating completely over the surface of the lump or briquet with penetration of a sufficient quantity thereof into the briquet to support combustion when ignited for the length of time necessary to ignite the briquet for continued self-combustion of the briquet.

Another object is to provide such a composition for application to lumps or briquets of solid fuel with which the fuel briquets may be efliciently treated and impregnated and coated without the use of heat and/or pressure so that the treatment of the fuel may be quickly and relatively inexpensively carried out at normal atmospheric pressures and temperatures.

A further objectis to provide such a quick igniting composition which while volatile will be sufiiciently stable at-normal atmosphericpressures and temperatures to enable treatment of the lumps or briquets of solid fuel by relatively simple spraying, immersion, or bath operations, so that the treated briquets then have an effective fast-kindling life of a -considerable period of time.

Another object of the invention is to provide such a quick-igniting combustible composition for the treatinent of. lumps or briquets of solid fuels which will be clean burning and Without substantial odor when ignited on a treated briquet and which will have a relatively low rate of evaporation .or volatilization at normal at mospheric pressures and temperatures. [A further object of the invention is to provide such a quick-igniting composition and the lumps or briquets of solid fuel rendered fast kindling by treatmenttherewith, which will be relatively inexpensive to produce. .And another object is to provide a quick-igniting composition of a character such that the treated briquets or lumps of material rendered fast kindling by treatment therewith may be bagged or packaged by materials which are impervious to vapors of such composition and to air and moisture so that the treated briquets enclosed thereby willbe' maintained against volatilization or evaporation of thequick-igniting composition thereon and therein over substantially long periods of time.

With the foregoing and various other objects and results in View, my invention consists in the novel quickigniting compositions and the novel fast-kindling solid fuels formed by treatment with such compositions, all as hereinafter more fully specified, explained and de-' scribed.

Primarily because the specific problems to which my invention is directed are found particularly in the use of'briquets of charcoal as fuel for cooking grills, barbecues and such like equipment, I have selected such charcoal briquets as preferred examples of the fast kindling solid; fuels produced by treatment thereof in accordance with;my-invention.' The various problems and disadvantages encountered with such charcoal briquets both in the handling, transportation and distribution thereof, and v:in'their use for cooking purposes by the ultimate user, have beengenerally described and reviewed hereinbefore.

:ICharcoal briquets for fuel purposes are a standard commodity on :the market and are generally formed by compressing'finely divided or powdered charcoal under relatively'high 'pre'ssuresin briquetting presses. These briquets vary in size and even in density but those utilized as fuel for :outdoor grills and the like are generally of the "order of two inches in their maximum dimensions. 'Such charcoal briquets as delivered to the market have been completely dried and in the compressed form thereof will absorb no substantialamounts of moistureeven though they are of relatively porous structure capable of liquid absorption under conditions favorable to absorption. When laid as fuel for a cookinggrill, it has'been found that it will take anywhere from thirty (30) minutes to one 1) hour or longer, depending upon the skill and experience of the person kindling the fuel and attending to the maintenance of the fire, to ignite or start the fire by the use of kindling and to bring the ignited charcoal briquets to the required condition of self-combustion where a uniform, relatively even bed of hot coals or embers has been formed generating sufilcient heat with minimumflame for satisfactorily grilling or broiling thereon or for other heating purposes. 7 l t In a preferred, form and expression of my invention as applied to charcoal in briquet form, I provide a quick igniting composition of a viscous, jellied character which lapply to thebriquets. as a coating thereover and completely therearound, and which under .normalatmospheric temperatures and pressures "will penetrate and PPregnatethe relatively, porous charcoal briquet for qlfifl w tht e nto andcornpletely. thereargund; I pro vide such a composition which by'its inherent characteristics, aided by such absorptive penetration of the briquet, will shrink tightly onto and form a relatively soft but self-sustaining film, skin, or coating completely over and effectively sealing the briquet and the composition which has penetrated into the briquet from the atmosphere. This composition in accordance with my invention is essentially volatile and quick igniting but has a relatively slow volatilization or evaporation rate with a relatively low flash point and a relatively high boiling point.

In the formation of What I now consider to be a preferred quick igniting composition of-my. invention for impregnating and coating the briquets, I utilize one of the liquid petroleum naphthas of commerce, that is, a refined naphtha or benzine which has a flash point of the order of approximately 120 F. and a boiling point of the order of approximately 180 F. I have found and determined that when I utilize a petroleum naphtha having such characteristics, a very clean combustion is obtained with a minimum of smoke or fumes and Without objectionably noticeable odors.

Such a petroleum naphtha is then converted into a viscous or partially jellied form by mixing and blending therewith a suitable one of the so-called metallic soaps, preferably in this specific example of the invention, aluminum di-Z-ethylhexanoate or aluminum octoate. I have determined and demonstrated in actual practice that a' completely satisfactory surface coating of such petroleum naphtha is obtained for efi'icient treatment of the charcoal briquets by mixing and blending one (1) ounce to three (3) ounces of aluminum octoate with each gallon .of the petroleum naphtha. I have deter- 4 mined in practice that a blend in the proportion of one and one-half (1 /2) ounces of aluminum octoate to each gallon of petroleum naphtha produces a preferred composition for treating the commercial forms of charcoal briquets. The viscosity or extent of jell ofthe petroleum naphtha will be determined within limited ranges by theforegoing proportions of petroleum naphtha and metallic soap but may be further controlled and determined by the extent of mixing or agitation in blendingand by the length .of time the composition is permitted to stand before application to the briquets. Such control factors may be utilized to provide a. desired viscosity or jell for any particular solidfuel treating operation. I have found that the viscous or partly jellied composition made up of the petroleum naphtha and a metallic soap or aluminum octoate willtend to increase in viscosity after standing substantial periods of time but that by agitation the composition may be restored to substantially its original viscosity or jell or any viscosity or degree of jell intermediate the original viscosity at the completion of first mixing and blending andsuchan increased viscosity.

' I have further found that at low proportionate cost the addition of micro crystalline wax to the above-mentioned solution in small quantities approximating /2- ounce per gallon of the petroleum naphtha will add increased hardness to the continuous surface film and an additional measure of stability to the surface coating.

I have additionally found that even more economically sugar cane resin added in similar quantities to those referred to for micro crystalline wax will produce substantially the same benefits but with less maneuverability in the manufacturing processes. With the necessary quantity of a quick igniting-oomposition of. my invention, the briquets of charcoal, the solid fuel of this example, then have the composition applied thereto completely over and around the surfaces thereof. The treatment of the briquets with the quick igniting composition of the invention may be carried out purely mechanically byany desired method of application, as for example by spraying or immersing in a faces of each briquet are completely covered by a relatively thin film or skin of the composition. Due to the stability of the composition under normal atmospheric temperature and pressure conditions and to the fact that no heat or pressure is required to apply the composition to the briquets, the treating steps may be carried out with the composition at normal atmospheric or room temperatures by simple and inexpensive mechanical coating or covering methods.

Upon the completion of the coating of the briquets, portions of liquid naphtha from the composition covering the briquets will have penetrated by absorption distances into and around the porous absorptive structure of the compressed charcoal and in so doing will result in the solidification of a continuous coating and sealant of the composition on the briquet into the form of a relatively tight skin or film adhering to and following precisely the surface contours of the briquet and sealing porosity. This film or skin formed of the more viscous jelled portions of the composition remaining from the penetration into the charcoal structure of the briquet of the liquid particles of the jelled composition, provides a substantially colorless transparent film or skin coating completely covering and sealing the briquet and the impregnated portions thereof so as to substantially retard loss from the briquet by volatilization or evaporation of the portions of the composition which have penetrated into the briquet. This skin or coating is soft and smooth to the touch yet is of sufficient strength under normal handling to withstand disruption or displacement.

An important aspect of these combined coating materials is that the liquid content thereof is in itself an igniting agent. Through the characteristics of a composition of the invention when applied to a solid fuel, the major portions of the liquid content are absorbed into the body of the fuel thereby providing fast ignition, such absorbed portions being retained therein for substantial periods of time by the film coating formed on the outer surfaces, as above described.

As the composition in its entirety in the viscous or jell form thereof in which it is applied to the briquets is combustible and quick igniting, it will instantly ignite and burn by the mere application of an open flame to the briquet covering coating thereof. The ignition and burning of the film or skin coating covering the briquet ignites the composition that has penetrated into and impregnated the briquet so that the combined supply of quick igniting material provided by the composition will burn for a sufiicient period of time and generate sufficient heat to fully ignite and kindle the charcoal for continued self-burning thereof.

With a supply of the example charcoal briquets treated and rendered fast kindling by the quick igniting composition of and in accordance with the invention, in order to establish a cooking fire thereof in the grate of a grill or similar piece of cooking equipment, the necessary number of the briquets are laid to form as even-topped a bed thereof as possible. Then the mere application of an'open flame, say of a match, lighter, or the like, to even one of the briquets will quickly ignite its quick igniting coating and all the coatings of the remaining briquets, and will in turn ignite the composition in the impregnated portions of the briquets so that burning of the composition on and in all of the briquets will be for a sufficient period of time and will generate a sufficient degree of heat to ignite the charcoal of the briquets. Self-burning of the briquets will then continue until the desired condition of combustion is attained to provide a bed of coals or embers for efficient broiling, grilling or other cooking or heating purposes. From actual tests I have determined that with the average size home grill, for example, a satisfactory grilling or broiling fire can be established in approximately 15 to 20 minutes from the time of initial igniting of a briquet, so that by the use of my fast kindling charcoal briquets I have provided an accurate time control upon which the user may rely in preparing a fire. Obviously this time control factor will hold good in connection with fires of any given size from any given quantity of the briquets by initially building such a fire and noting the time required from kindling to the establishment of the desired condition of combustion thereof.

The relatively thin skin or film-like coating on the briquets as hereinbefore explained not only provides the quick igniting characteristic of the briquets and seals the impregnated portions thereof against too rapid evaporation when exposed to the atmosphere, but also prevents dusting off of particles of the briquet in the form of soot. The substantial elimination of soot not only renders these fast kindling briquets of my invention relatively clean for handling, but also eliminates the collection of soot in the containers thereof and the carriers therefor, with reduction in the hazard of spontaneous combustion from substantial collections of such soot.

In accordance with a further feature of my invention I package fast kindling pieces or briquets of solid fuel of my invention in bags or sacks formed of materials which are substantially impervious to air and moisture as well as to vapors of the quick igniting composition with which the fuel pieces are treated and coated. As examples of suitable materials for packaging or bagging purposes I refer to the various synthetic film-like materials now regularly on the market, such as certain of the cellophanes, Saran and Pliofilm, or laminants of such film-like materials.

While in the preferred example here specifically described I have used briquets and charcoal, it is to be undeistood that my invention is not limited to any particular solid fuel or to so-called briquets thereof. Uncompressed pieces or lumps of solid fuel may be treated in order to produce fast kindling fuel, including various extruded or compressed carbonaceous solid fuels, such as anthracite coal, or various woods or other combustible materials.

Similarly, while I have in the preferred example of a quick igniting combustion of my invention given aluminum octoate as the metallic soap to be mixed and blended with the petroleum naphtha, I do not thereby intend to limit my invention in all respects to that particular metallic soap. For example, stearates, a metallic soap, may be utilized as well as any of the other so-called metallic soaps suitable for blending with the petroleum naphtha.

Furthermore, other inflammable petroleum distillates may be utilized in accomplishing satisfactory ignition and coating characteristics, a high-grade odorless petroleum naphtha being preferred for advantageous characteristics in ignition, rate of smoke production, rate of vaporization and lack of odoriferous fumes in combustion.

It Will also be evident that various other changes modifications, variations, substitutions and conditions may be resorted to in both the quick igniting combustion and in a fast kindling solid fuel of my invention without departing from the broad spirit and scope of my invention, and hence I do not wish to limit myself in either composition or fast kindling solid fuel to the specific examples hereof, except as may be required by clearly intended limitations thereto appearing in any of the claims hereto appended.

What I claim is:

1. As a new article of manufacture a lump of carbonaceous fuel rendered fast kindling by the application thereto of a combustible composition in partially gelled form comprised of a petroleum fraction having a fiashpoint of approximately F. and a boiling point of approximately F., and a gelling agent therefor, in the approximate proportions of one (1) ounce to three and one-half (3 /2) ounces of said gelling agent to one (1) gallon of said petroleum fraction.

2. As a news article of manufacture a lump of car,- bonaceous fuel'rendered fast kindling by-the "application thereto of agco mbustible composition-in partially gelled to one"(1) 'gallon of petroleum naphtha; saidlump of solid carbonaceous ,fuel being partially'impregnated inwardly 'with-portions 'ofsaid partially gelled composi:

tion byabsorptioninto the-body of said carbonaceous fuel; and said skin being'formed and constituted by a residue of 'the gelled portions of said combustible composition resulting'from the absorption of portions thereofinto said carbonaceous 'fuel and the volatilization of other portions thereofto atmosphere.

3. As a new article of manufacture a'lump of car-v bonaceous fuel rendered fast-kindling by the application theretoof a combustible"composition in partially gelled form comprised of apetroleum fraction having a flashpointofapproximately l20 F. and a' boiling point of approximately 180 F'., and a gellingagent for said petrole'um fraction for "partially gelling the composition made up of said petroleum fraction and said gelling agent;

' 4.-As anew article of manufacture, a lump of charcoal rendered fast kindling by the application thereto of a combustible composition in partially gelled form comprised of a petroleumnaphtha and an aluminum soap as a gelling agent therefor.

5. As-a new articleof manufacture, a lump of charcoal rendered fast kindling by 'a self-sustaining combustible sealing and containing skin onand covering the exterior surfaces thereof; said combustible skin being constituted by the residue from a volatile combustible composition in partially gelled form applied over the sur-v face of said briquet after absorption of portions of said composition into said briquet and volatilization of other portions thereof 'to atmosphere; and said combustible composition having afia'sh point of approximately F, and a boiling point of approximately F. and being comprised of a petroleum naphtha and an aluminum soap in the approximate proportions of one (1 ounce tothreeand one-half (3 /2) ounces of aluminum soap to one (1) gallon of petroleum naphtha.

6. As a new article of manufacture, a briquet of charcoal rendered fast kindling by the application over the exterior surfaces thereof of a combustible composition in partially gelled form comprised of a petroleum naphtha and an aluminum soap in the approximate proportions of one (1) ounce to three and one-half (3 /2) ounces-of aluminum soap to one (1) gallon of petroleum naphtha.

References Citedin the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS OTHER REFERENCES Manufacture and Application of Lubricating Greases,

Boner, p. 294. Reinhold Pub. Corp, N.Y., 1954. 

1. AS A NEW ARTICLE OF MANUFACTURE A LUMP OF CARBONACEOUS FUEL RENDERED FAST KINDLING BY THE APPLICATION THERETO OF A COMBUSTIBLE COMPOSITION IN PARTIALLY GELLED FORM COMPRISED OF A PETROLEUM FRACTION HAVING A FLASHPOINT OF APPROXIMATELY 120*F., AND A BOILING POINT OF APPROXIMATELY 180*F., AND A GELLING AGENT THEREFOR, IN THE APPROXIMATE PROPORTIONS OF ONE (1) OUNCE TO THREE AND ONE-HALF (31/2) OUNCES OF SAID GELLING AGENT TO ONE (1) GALLON OF SAID PETROLEUM FRACTION. 